What time of year is most advantageous for sellers to put their home on the market?Redfin analyzed more than 7 million home sales over the past four years and divided the data into seasons, according to when the homes were first listed. We evaluated which season was best for listing a home according to two of the most common goals for sellers: Selling for more than the list price and going under contract within 30 days.

As conventional wisdom would predict, spring was the best time to list a home, but just barely. Spring offered the highest likelihood of selling above list price and of selling within 30 days, but winter, the supposed slow season for real estate, was a close second.RedfinAmong spring listings, 18.7 percent of homes fetched above asking, with winter listings not far behind at 17.5 percent. While 48.0 percent of homes listed in spring sold within 30 days, 46.2 percent of homes in winter did the same.While winter can get a bad rap, it’s not a bad time to list a home. “You may have fewer people looking to buy, but those who are looking are serious,” said Michelle Leader, a Redfin real estate agent in Oklahoma City. “Buyers that time of year often need to move, so they’re much less likely to make a lowball offer and they’ll often want to close quickly — two things that can make the sale much smoother.” The other benefit of listing in the winter is less competition from other sellers. While spring can see a rush of homes coming on the market, homes that list in the winter are much more likely to stand out, said Leader.​Among homes listed in summer and fall, the key goals of selling quickly and for above list price were achieved notably less often. Forty-one percent of autumn listings sold in 30 days or less, and just 14.7 percent sold above list price.“Autumn is a tricky time,” said Chicago Redfin real estate agent Michael Linden. “Buyers with kids often want to get settled in their new home before the school year starts, so they’ve already closed in spring or summer. And right after you list, the holiday season begins, which can delay the time it takes to close, and causes many buyers to pause their search. The last quarter of the year is just not an ideal time to put a home on the market, particularly if you want full price or a quick closing.”

But, as the numbers indicate, listing at the start of the new year can work to a seller’s advantage. Typically, sellers assume snow and inclement weather in January and February are major barriers to winter home shopping. However, while winter storms can cause a delay or two, most cities known for snow also have effective plowing systems and residents who are comfortable tromping around in winter boots.In fact, weather seems to have little to do with the seasonality. When broken down by metro, winter and spring maintained their top spots consistently, even across markets with weather as varied as Los Angeles, Boston and Atlanta.

MethodologyRedfin examined more than 7 million homes listed across 23 metro areas from 2012 through August 2016 to see how many of them went under contract within 30 days and how often they sold for more than their list price. We then grouped the performance of each listing by the season that the home was first listed on the market. We used the astronomical seasons (Winter: Dec. 21 – Mar. 20; Spring: Mar. 21 – June 20; Summer: June 21 – Sept 21; Autumn: Sept 21 – Dec. 20).Read the original article on Redfin. Redfin is the next-generation real estate brokerage, with agents across the U.S. For more information about working with a Redfin agent to buy or sell a home, visit us. Copyright 2016. Follow Redfin on Twitter.

How do you feel about black walls in the home? It may seem like an unusual choice in an era where bright white and subtle pastels dominate the top design trends, but that's what gives black so much appeal – it's bold and daring, exuding a sense of sophistication anywhere. This post looks at three modern homes that use matte black and dark charcoal in abundance. Here, dark walls aren't just an occasional accent but a fully unifying theme throughout each home. If you love dark walls, you'll love these inspiring black living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens, and more. Let’s start with a home that uses black-on-black design. Variations help define the boundaries of each part of the open plan living space, drawing attention to the white sofa or the warm grey dining arrangement. The furniture and accessories in each functional space sets a specific mood: the kitchen is luxurious, the dining space is moody, and layered textures around the sofa set a casual and comfortable tone. Wood is normally a very humble material, but its exclusivity in this living room gives it a powerful presence here. It also helps warm up the appearance of the room. Faux fire dances with intensity against its dark backdrop. It’s a nice decorative feature that likely adds great ambiance in the evening. It’s convenient because a faux fire like this one is easy to turn off when the residents want to pay more attention to the television. This ornate antique cabinet stands out from its minimalist surroundings, almost like a gallery piece. Of course, its original intent as storage still applies and is sure to play a small role in maintaining the clutter-free appearance of the home. The kitchen is perhaps the most streamlined feature of them all. Sleek cabinetry blends into the background easily but the backsplash catches immediate attention thanks to the light and shadow that dances across its glossy textured surface. Cozy wooden slats and dark charcoal walls invite an instant sense of relaxation in the bedroom. Opening the shutters allows the resident to let the early morning sunshine in, but it’s not too bright or overwhelming. The slatted wall even works to diffuse any glare that comes in through the window. It’s attractive but not too decorative, and makes a statement even without extra artwork or other ornaments.

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Unemployment claims filed in Virginia last year were at their lowest level in more than 40 years.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe's office announced Tuesday that Virginia's unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for December, and that the 178,400 initial claims filed in 2016 was the lowest number since 1973.

McAuliffe said the figures show the state's economy is growing.But despite having a low unemployment rate, the state's overall economic growth continues to lag behind the country's growth rate. McAuliffe and state lawmakers are currently grappling with a more than $1 billion budget deficit brought on by lower than-expected state income tax revenues. National defense cuts have led to fewer high-paying jobs, while younger, lower-paid workers are replacing retiring baby boomers.

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Planning to have 20% of a home’s purchase price to use as your down payment is a smart move. It not only makes you a more attractive borrower to a lender, but it also makes you a more reliable buyer. The more money you put down, the less likely your financing (and your home purchase!) will fall through.A 20% down payment is a great savings goal, but it’s also a lot of cash. Let’s say you want to buy a home that costs $250,000. You’ll need $50,000 in cash to put down. That’s no small number. But you can make it happen in the near future. Here’s how you can work to build a down payment in one year, three years, or five years.Raise a down payment in one yearIf you target this goal, know upfront that you’ve given yourself a serious challenge. Building a savings fund of $50,000 in 12 months will require you to set aside $4,167 per month and take some extreme measures to make it happen. First, look at every single dollar you can cut from your current spending. Here are a few ways to aggressively trim your expenses.Move in with a friend or family member to slash your rent. In addition, you could offer to do work around the house or help out in other ways to cut your rent further (or even live rent-free!).Sell useful but not strictly necessary assets, like your car. You can also comb through all your possessions to determine what you could sell, from old collections to used textbooks to clothes and more. Consider consignment stores, online yard sales, and other ways to sell your stuff.Get rid of every nonessential expense, no matter how inexpensive it may feel. That can include everything from services like Spotify and Netflix to discretionary spending like shopping or new tech.Downgrade essential services for cheaper options. Perhaps you can reduce your insurance coverage and drop the cost of your monthly premiums. Other places to consider: your cellphone plan and your groceries. Your new rule should be “If I don’t need to buy it, I won’t.” Remember, you need to bank $4,167 every month. Many people’s total monthly budgets don’t add up to the amount you’re trying to save!Save for a down payment in three yearsWhile it’s still an ambitious savings goal (you’ll need to save $1,389 per month), your approach won’t need to be quite as extreme. However, the basic steps remain the same: Cut unnecessary costs and look to increase your income so you have more cash to save. Here are a few ideas to help you eliminate expenses and immediately save hundreds per month.Switch to a streaming service. The average cable bill costs about $100 per month. Most streaming services are less than $10 per month. This will give you a monthly savings of $90!Reduce the number of meals out you buy each week. If a daily lunch costs you $10 but packing your own costs only $4, that adds up to a monthly savings of $180.Eliminate expensive entertainment. Even one date night to the movies per month can put a dent in your efforts! Two tickets, sodas, and a large popcorn typically cost about $35. In comparison, a rental from a video kiosk (or your streaming service) that you can enjoy at home with microwave popcorn? Maybe $5.Cut back on your vices. Beer, wine, and cigarettes don’t come cheap. If you’re used to buying a bottle of wine and a six-pack at the store each week, you may be spending close to $65 per month on alcohol alone. Cut back to just once a month (try the no-spend weekend!), and you could be looking at a monthly savings of $45.Work out at home. There are countless alternatives to a pricey gym membership, from fitness communities to printable workouts to YouTube videos and more. You can slim down both your body and your budget for a monthly savings of $60 per month.Negotiate your bills. Call your service providers, insurance companies, and cellphone carriers and ask about lower-cost options. You can switch to a more basic service, request discounts, or consider cutting the service altogether. This can add up to a monthly savings of $50 or more!Making the changes in this list could save you $455 per month, which means you’re down to finding about $1,000 in your cash flow to allocate to your down payment goal. Additional sacrifices could include cutting dinners out to only twice a month. It might mean walking or taking public transportation instead of grabbing an Uber. And it may mean simply not buying things you don’t actually need.Giving yourself three years also lets you make sustainable and lasting strides with earning more. You can develop a side hustle and turn that into a strong income stream. Or you could work your way up at your current position to take on more responsibilities that come with higher pay.Every time you earn a raise, get a bonus, or make extra income, contribute it straight to your savings fund for your $50,000 down payment. That will either allow you to reach your goal sooner or require you to cut back less in spending.Build your down payment in five yearsThis timeline gives you the most flexibility in saving your $50,000 down payment. You’ll need to save about $834 per month to meet this goal. It’s still a lot of money but completely doable if you’re willing to cut back in places you currently spend. Use the tips above to help you cut costs and free up more cash for your down payment.You might also consider investing your down payment savings in a taxable brokerage account. With five years until you need the money, placing it in the market enables your money to work harder for you. But remember, all investments carry risk. Don’t take this approach if you’re uncomfortable with the fact that you may end up earning 5% or more — but you could also only break even or even lose money.The biggest challenge in saving $834 per month for this length of time is staying focused. To help, create an automatic transfer from your checking to your savings each month so you know that money consistently moves to your down payment fund even if your attention sometimes wanders to other, nearer-term issues.And of course, working on earning more during this time will help too. Just as you would if you shot for the three-year goal, you can work to make lasting, big-impact changes to your earnings. If you’re entrepreneurial, that might mean starting something on the side and slowly growing that to a full-time business that generates more revenue than your current gig. The possibilities are endless, and with five years, you have much more time to test different paths and figure out what works best for you.Have you challenged yourself to save for a down payment on a home? Share your successful tips in the comments.